Gaza Emergency Appeal two years on

This week marks the second anniversary of our emergency appeal for Gaza when you, the people of Scotland answered our call to help provide vital relief and support, donating over £73,000 for those in urgent need. 

For two weeks in May 2021, the people of Gaza lived under heavy bombardment, reducing homes, schools and hospitals to rubble and leaving people with nowhere to hide or flee for safety. 

It’s estimated that around 260 people died in the escalation of hostilities with Israel, and over 1,900 were left injured. Thousands more were forced to leave their homes and communities. 

Yet, thanks to your generous donations, SCIAF immediately began working with our partner Caritas Jerusalem - who have a long track record of providing essential services to the desperately poor population in Gaza.

Thanks to you, lives have been saved through dedicated medical care, mental health support for children traumatised by the conflict, and access to clean water.  

Through this response we’ve been able to bring relief to poor and vulnerable areas, providing medical care for both adults and children. Priorities were tackling health and nutrition services for sick children, providing essential medications, treating both infectious and chronic diseases and providing antenatal and elderly care. We were also able to deliver vital clean water to vulnerable families and provide chlorine tablets to keep in case of any future emergencies. 

Conflict brings not just physical suffering, but also psychological damage to individuals, families and communities, and children often bear the brunt of war most acutely. Your donations meant we were also able to reach 200 children affected by the conflict, giving direct support though individual and family counselling sessions. 

Thank you for reaching out in loving kindness towards the people of Gaza in their vital hour of need. As we look forwards with hope towards a resolution in Gaza, and pray for world peace, we reflect on the words of Harout Bedrossian from Caritas Jerusalem: 

“The loss of life on both sides is truly meaningless. Violence only leads to further violence and more bloodshed. I pray to our Lord to grant wisdom to the leaders from both sides to refrain from violence and try to solve the years of conflict by dialogue, respect and mutual understanding, so that the new generation could live in peace and prosperity.”